The 8th global Confucius Institute Conference has taken place this past weekend in Beijing. The event brings together university presidents and heads of Confucius Institutes from all over the world.

More than 2,200 attendees from over 400 Confucius Institutes are here, along with representatives from Chinese universities.

Sponsored by the China Education Ministry, the Confucius Institute is a non-profit public institution, designed to help foreigners learn about China through courses in language and culture.

If an overseas university wants to establish a Confucius Institute, it must first apply to the Hanban, the Chinese National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language. With its approval, a Confucius Institute will be established at the school with the support of a Chinese university.

So far, China has established 440 Confucius Institutes globally. And over 500 Confucius Classrooms are in operation worldwide at middle and primary schools.

About 850,000 students have registered at these institutions, and more than 20,000 activities have been held since the first Confucius Institute was established in 2004.